Tieback curtain



Aug. 7, 1951 Filed OC.. 2l, 1947 P A. BURRAGE TIEBACK CURTAIN 2 SheetS-Sheet l l0 INVENTOR.

P. A. BURRAGE TIEBACK CURTAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Filed OCb. 21, 1947 INVENTOR.

HTTORA/f Y llatented ug. 7, 95

TIEBACK CURTAIN Philip A. Burrage, Weymouth, Mass., assignor'to Robertson Factories, Inc., New York, N. Y., a 'corporation of Connecticut Application October 21, 1947, Serial No. I781,131

(Cl. 1GO-349) 1a claims. l

window curtains of the tie-back variety. MoreV particularly it provides a tie-back curtain section whose tie-back element may be variously attached to or associated with the curtain section to attain a variety of draped effects.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a tie-back curtain section having a tieback extending around the outer edge region of the curtain section and thence inward on D- posite sides of the curtain section, with the ends of the tie-back engaging the curtain section at an inner edge region thereof.

l Another object is to provide a tie-back curtain section having a tie-back extending around the outer edge region of the curtain section and thence inward on opposite sides of the curtain section, with one or both ends of the tie-back adjustably engaging the curtain section at an inner edge region thereof.

A further object is to provide a tie-back curtain section having a tie-back with its ends at .opposite sides of the curtain section and adjustthe curtain section at the inner edge region of the panel.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide a panel and tie-back curtain section in which the tie-back has one of its ends secured to the curtain section in the region of the inner edge of the panel and extends thence in relatively slidalole frictional engagement with one side of the panel to a location adjacent to the outer edge of the panel where it reverses its direction and extends generally in direction toward the inner edge region of the panel and is detachably secured substantially inward of the outer edge of the panel.

, Another object is to provide a curtain tie-back device having resilient means removably and adjustably engageable with a curtain Iby a resilient clamping of the curtain at a selected location thereon and having generally oppositely disposed portions for extending on opposite sides of the curtain from the said clamping location thereon toward an edge region of the curtain.

-Still another object is to provide a curtain tieback device made of resilient relatively stiff material having generally U-shape Vfor extending around one edge region and along opposite sides of the curtain, one arm of the U having sinuous extent providing spaced grooves facing the other arm, within which groovesV the curtain may be arranged to attain a predetermined pleated drape effect. Y

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generallyto improve the structure and effect of tieback window curtains. A

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a mounted and draped tie-back curtain section embodying features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on a larger scale, and showing the tie-back in dotted lines detached from the curtain section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View showing a modified form of detachable connection for at least one end of the tie-back;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View showing the tieback extending around the ruiile at the inner edge of the curtain section with the ends of the tie-back detachably secured together;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a portion of a curtain section having a tie-back casing secured thereon and having one end of a tie-back secured to the curtain inward ibeyond the inner end of the casing, with the tie-back extending thence Youtward and slidably through the casing and then back inward for detachable securement of its second end, with a ruied portion of the tie-back in covering relation to the casing; y

Fig. 6 is a View generally similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of tie-back device;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, with one end slightly in perspective, of the resilient tie-back device of Fig. 6, with its'fabric covering portion removed;

Fig. 8 is a front face view of the fabric covering portion of the tie-back device of Figs. 6 and '7; and Y Fig. 9 is a view generally similar to Fig. '7, but illustrating a modied form of resilient device which provides multiple clamping of pleats of a curtain.

Referring to the drawings, the curtain sec# tion as shown in Fig. 1 should be considered as merely representative of window curtain sections generally, made of textile fabric or other suitable sheet material. As herein illustrated, the curtain section comprises a panel It] with a relatively wide rule l2 extending along the inner and top edges of the panel. The bottom edge (not shown) may be similarly bordered by a ruffle. The outer edge is hemmed as at I4 and is shown without a ruliie although, obviously, it too may have a ruffle therealong, if desired.

According to the invention, the curtain section is gathered and draped, to provide desired aesthetic and utilitarian effects, by means of a tie-back member I6 or Il whose opposite ends are secured to the curtain section in the region of the inner ruffled edge of panel III and which has extent between its ends from said linner edge region of the panel to the outer edge thereof where it reverses its course and extends back inward to the inner edge region of the panel.

In one form, shown in Fig. 2, the tie-back member IS extends outward Vfrom one of its end.- securements, passes around the outer edge of panel IIJ and extends thence inward to its other end-securement. As represented, in Fig. 2, both ends of the tie-back are detachably secured to the curtain section at the juncture of the ruffle I2 with the inner edge portion of panel I0. The securement may be by any suitable means, such as the headed pin I8 thrust through one end of the tie-back and through the curtain section, and through the other end of the tie-back. The tip end portion of the pin may be bent over against the adjacent end portion of the tie-back, as suggested in Fig. 3, or an element 20, of rubber or the like, may be pressed over the tip end of the pin as shown in Fig. 2. The element 28 frictionally grips the pin and may constitute one jaw of a clamp whose other jaw is the head of the pin. The clamping action thus attained avoids a mere holding by pin-engagement with the more or less fragile sheet material.

It will be obvious that the tie-back ends, in the Fig. 2 form, may be selectively located and secured at any desired point along the inner edge region of the panel I0, or one end may be secured at one point and the other end at another point, as indicated in Fig. l.

In the Fig. 3 form, the end I6' of tie-back I6 is shown stitched to the curtain section, in which case only the end I6" is adjustably and detachably secured to the curtain section by pin I8 or other securing means while Fig. 4 shows the tieback extending around both the outer edge and the inner ruffled edge of the curtain section, with the ends of the tie-back detachably secured together adjacent to the inner edge.

The Fig. 5 modification has a flexible strip 22 stitched to the panel I0 to provide a generally tubular open-ended casing on the panel extending from a location adjacent to the inner edge of the panel IIJ to a location adjacent to the outer edge thereof. A portion 24 of a tieback extends slidably through the casing, with its inner end secured at 23 to the curtain section and with its outer end joined to the wider portion 26 of the tie-back, which latter is adapted to be laid over in covering relation to the casing 22, and to have its inner end detachably secured to the curtain section, or to the casing 22I adjacent to the inner edge of panel III as by the pin I8 The securernent of the tie-back at 23 may be either a fixed or a detachable securement.

It is a feature of the invention, that a panel and tie-back curtain section embodying my improvedfeatures provides a more effective gathering of the panel and maintenance thereof in any particular draped condition, as compared with all prior proposals of which I am aware. For example, in the Figs. 1-4 forms, the panel is effectively drawn and gathered toward the restraining portion of the tie-back which extends around the outer edge I4 of the panel I0, so that there is a definite obstruction against which the gathering proceeds. with the inwardly extending portions of the tie-back, at Qpposite sides of the panel, constituting lateral abutments frictionally engaging the crests of the gathers and restraining relative movement of Vthe gathers and the tie-back after a particular draped arrangement has been attained. In

' other words, the panel becomes definitely confined within the tie-back, as compared with prior tie-back curtain proposals where the tieback provides no definite limiting obstruction to outward movement of the outer edge of the curtain section or panel.

In the Fig. 5 form, the casing 22 and tie-back portion 24 provides restraining friction when the panel I0 and the casing become gathered, and here again the return bend of the tie-back restrains outward movement of the outer edge I4 when the tie-back is fastened.

In the Figs, 1-5 forms, the tie-back element is of flexible material such as fabric, or the like. The embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6-9 employ tie-back devices made of wire or other suitable material which, preferably, are resilient, or have resilient portions, for resilient engagement of a curtain. As represented in Figs. 6 and 7, the tie-back device I1 is formed of wire bent into the shape as best seen in Fig. 7, with ring portions 28 at the opposite ends of the wire resiliently urged together to provide an endclamp on the tie-back device. From one of the ring portions 28, the wire has generally straight extent, as at 30, to a U-bend 32 at the opposite end of the device whence the wire has sinuous extent at 34 back to the other ring portion 28. This device may be arranged on a curtain by spreading apart the ring portions 28 and passing one of the vertical edges of a curtain between the rings and between the portions 30, 34 until the entire panel portion of the curtain is within the device. As represented in Fig. 6, the device has been applied by having the. outer edge of the curtain inserted first between` ring portions 28, so that this outer edge is adjacent to the U-bend 32. The ring portions 28 are shown in Fig. 6 in clamping engagement with the hem region 36 at which the inner edge ruiile I2 of the curtain is secured, so that the tie-back device does not extend around ruiile I2. Obviously, if desired. rutile I2 may be arranged within the device, in. which oase the ring portions 28 would engage each other beyond the ruffle.

The ring portions 28 may resiliently clamp the curtain with suilcent pressure to. grip and hold the clamped portion of the curtain in a manner to retain the tie-back device in a selected position on the curtain, with friction of the device against the gathered curtain within the device restraining relative slippage due to the weight of the device. Preferably, however, the outer end of the tie-back device will be equipped with fastening means 38 by which the device may be removablyattached to a hook, or the like, at a convenient location on the window casing.

If the resilient clamping at the ring portions 28 should prove inadequate for any reason, the ring portions may be. mechanically secured together through the curtain by securing means comparable to the securing means I8, 20 of Fig. 2, y

and shown dotted in Fig. 6.

It is a feature of the Figs. 6 and 7 form that the sinuous portion 34 of the device provides a series of grooves in which gathered portions of the curtain may be uniformly seated to attain a predetermined gathered draping of the curtain. It will be obvious that the gathers may be readily formed with general uniformity within the tieback device, and the relatively long sinuous surface areas of engagement of the device with the curtain material tends to maintain the predetermined gathered eiect more adequately and more attractively than can be accomplished with prior tie-back devices. The relatively straight portion 30 of the device which extends at the front of the curtain conveniently may be covered by a strip of fabric or the like which may be removably slipped over the portion 30. Such a fabric cover is shown at 40 in Figs. 6 and 8. it beingr represented as an attractively ruiiied strip on whose rear face is stitched a narrower strip 42 which provides a longitudinal iiat tube or pocket open at its opposite ends so that the composite strip 40, 42 may be slipped over the portion 30 of the tie-back device to decoratively cover the wire device.

As with the tie-backs of Figs. 1-5, the Figs. 6-8 form may be selectively positioned at any desired location along the curtain.

The Fig. 9 modification is generally similar to the Fig. '7 form but the sinuous bends are shaped as at 44 to resiliently pinch or grip the respective gathers of a curtain.

Obviously, various means may be provided on the tie-back devices of Figs. 6, 'l and 9 for mechanically securing the ends of the wires to a curtain, such as forming the ends of the wire with a safety-pin-type of fastening, with one end of the wire adapted to pass through the curtain.

I claim as my invention:

1. A window curtain section comprising a panel of exible sheet material having inner and outer edges, a unitary tie-back member extending integrally around the outer edge of the panel and thence inward at opposite sides of the panel with its opposite ends disposed adjacent tothe inner edge portion of the panel, means at that region of the tie-back member which extends around the outer edge of the panel for removably attaching the tie-back. member to a window casing, and clamping means at the inner end portions of the tie-.back member for adjustably clamping said end portions of the tie-back member and an inner edge marginal portion of said panel together selectively at any of different locations along the inner edge margin of the panel.

2. A window curtain section comprising a panel of flexible sheet material having inner and outer edges, and having a rutile extending along at least the inner edge of the panel, a tie-back member having one end attached to the curtain section in the region of the inner edge of the panel and spaced from the free edge of said ruiile, and extending thence outwardly at least to the outer edge of the panel where it reverses its direction and extends inward generally toward the inner edge of the panel, means at the outer portion of the tie-back member for removably attaching the tie-back member to a window casing, and clamping means having coacting portions at opposite sides of said panel for adjustably clamping the second end of the tieback member and a portion of the curtain section together selectively at any of various locations lbetween the top and bottomv of the panel. 3. A window curtain section comprising a panel of flexible sheet material having inner and outer edges, a tie-back member extending around the outer edge of the panel and inward on opposite sides of the panel, with an end of the tieback member at each side of the panel, and

clamping means at said ends of the tie-back` member adjustably clamping a portion of said panel between the ends of the tie-back member selectively at any of various locations along the inner edge region'of the curtain section.

4. A window curtainA section comprising a panel oi' ilexible sheet material having inner and outer edges, a tie-back member associated with the panel in generally U-shape with the bridge of the U loosely engaged around the outer edge.- of the panel and with the arms of the U ex-4 tending inward on opposite sides of the panel, means at the bridge portion of the U-shaped. tie-back member for removably suspending thev tie-back on a window casing, and clamping means at the ends of the U-arms of thetie-backf member foradjustably clamping a portion of' said panel between the ends of the tie-back mem-` ber selectively at any of various locations alongA the inner edge region of the panel, thereby to eiect a draping of the curtain section with a gathering of the panel material toward the bridge of the U andinto frictional engagement on a window casing, and means securing the` ends of the U-arms of the tie-back to the curtain section at the inner edge region of the panel, the said securing means for the end of at least one of the U-arms being an adjustable clamp for clamping the end of said one of the U-arms and an inner edge portion of said panel together selectively at any of various locations along said inner edge region of the panel.

6. A window curtain section comprising a panel of flexible sheet material having inner and outer edges, a tie-back device extending around one of said edges and thence generally transversely of the panel on opposite sides thereof with an end of the tie-back device disposed on eachside of the panel adjacent to the opposite edge region of the panel, and means at said ends of the tie-back device in adjustable clamping engagement with the panel atsaid opposite edge region thereof, said means being adjustable along said panel for clamping the panel at any of various locations along said opposite edge region thereof.

7. A window curtain section comprising a panel of exible sheet material having inner and outer edges, a tie-back device of relatively stiif resilient material extending around the outer edge of the panel and inward on opposite sides of the panel, with an end of the tie-back device disposed on each side of the panel adjacent to an inner edge region of the panel, said ends of the tie-back device being in resilient clamping engagement with said inner edge region of the panel and selectively adjustable for clamping the panel at any of various] locations along said inner edge region of the panel.. Y

8. A window curtain section comprising a panel of flexible sheet material having inner and outer edges, a tie-back device of relatively stiff resilient material extendingA around said outer edge of the panel and thence generally transversely of the panel onopposite sides thereof, with end portionsl of the tie-back device disposed adjacent to the inner edge region of the panel and coacting to provide av resilient clamp for adjustably clamping an inner edge portion of the panel selectively at any of. various locations along said inner edge region of the panel, and preformed sinuous means at. one. of said transversely extending portions` of the tie-back. device for sinuously` engaging gathered portions` of the panel within the tie-back device, thereby to effect a general uniformity of. gathering of the panelin the. process of. draping of the panel.

9.. .A window curtain section comprising a panel of flexiblev sheet material having inner and outer edges, atie-back device. comprising a resillent frame having a` portion extending around the. outer edge of the panel. and portions extending thence inward on opposite.. sides of the. panelto locations adjacent. to the inner edge of the panel, clampingl means onsaid, frame clamping an inner edge portion oi they panel between adjacent inner portions of said framev and selectively adjustable for. eiecting, the said clamping at any of. various locations. along said inner edge ofthe panel', and means. onsaid .frame at a said inwardly extending portion thereof. for. eiecting a predetermined gathering of the panel material within the frame.

10. A window curtain section. comprising a panelof. flexible .sheet materi'alhaving inner andouter edges, a tie-back devicecomprising a. resilient framev having a portion extending around the outerY edge ofl thev panel. and portions extending thence inwardy at theY rear side andfront side. of the panel, clamping means clamping an inner edge portion or said `panel" between inner por'- tions of said frameand selectively adjustable for eiecting the said clamping' at any of Various locations along said inner edge of the panel',l a cover member removablyarranged on said' por'- tion of the frame whichextend's'inwardlyY at the front side. of the panel, and panel gathering meansdistributed along'said portion of'theframe' which extends inwardlyat 'therear side of the' panel..

11. A window curtain sect-ion comprising a panelof flexible sheetrmaterial'having innerand" outer edges, a tie-bacia device having two-rela-v tively stif resilient arms: disposed on oppos-iteJ sides. of the panel and having-meansconnecti'ngl the arms together.v adjacentftoitheiouter edge` of' the panel, said connecting meansr permitting gage: a. curtains section. with the said arms-` on opposite. sides: of. the section: and with. said endconnection of arms' adjacent to thev outer' edge on. the'. section. andwith the inner en'ds of said arrnsa selectively.V ati any different locations along the: section,V a; coveringA member mountedon the arm whichV extends"A ati thei front: side of the' cur'- tainsectiomand; means on said'A covering'membenat the'. region. of th'eputer'e'dge' of the curf' tain section', for detachably connectingl sa'id' member and device to a window casing:

13.. AL .Windowcurtain'. section comprising a panelof iiexiblesheetmaterial. having inner and outer edges, a tie-back. member; having one end engaging.;` the. panel;l in the: regionA of the? inner edgefofa the panelandhaving a portion extend-`- ing'. thence outwardly.` atileastto theouter edge of the panel and then reversing'. its direction to provide an: integral portion extendingv inward generally toward; the.' innerv edge.' of the panel,

and: clamping means: adjustable. along the inner marginal portionof: thepanel adapted' to clamp at least. one. of. the'lends'. of the. tie-back member` to: the. saidpanel; selectively at any of .a1/variety of locations along the inner. marginal portion of the panel andzin spaced' relation to the inner edge of the panel.-

PHILIHA. BUR-RAGE.V

REFERENCES CITED Thel following references are ofrecord in the file of this patenti' UNITED STATES. PATENTS 

